11 replies to this topic

[J-Hon]

I'm looking to build a 16" middy setup, and was wondering who is shooting such setups currently, and your thoughts.

Problem I'm having is choosing what kinda spring/buffer/carrier combo to go with. Heard from a couple people that a Young Lightweight carrier/MGI Mechanical Buffer/Carbine spring setup with a brake shoots real soft and still has a lot of flexibility in regards to load selection. Think this is more/less the Noveske setup? I didn't hear any specs on gas port sizing, but assume those guys were running adjustable gas blocks.

Anyone running that particular setup and can comment? Any other hot mid-length setups I should be aware of?

[JaeOne3345]

Sounds like the set up Rob Romero runs (or used to run). Non adjustable gas block though (from what I know).

I run a 16.5" mid length with full weight m16 carrier, and an a1/a2 rifle buffer/tube system. With the Titan brake it shoots pretty soft in my opinion, but that is subjective.

On my next build I will give the light weight carrier/buffer/adj gas system a try.

[mr50mag]

I'm looking to build a 16" middy setup, and was wondering who is shooting such setups currently, and your thoughts.

Problem I'm having is choosing what kinda spring/buffer/carrier combo to go with. Heard from a couple people that a Young Lightweight carrier/MGI Mechanical Buffer/Carbine spring setup with a brake shoots real soft and still has a lot of flexibility in regards to load selection. Think this is more/less the Noveske setup? I didn't hear any specs on gas port sizing, but assume those guys were running adjustable gas blocks.

Anyone running that particular setup and can comment? Any other hot mid-length setups I should be aware of?

I ran a 16" Mid length(standard port size-whatever that happens to be) with a Young Heavy NM carrier, Tubb CS flatwire spring, MGI buffer and a SF comp. The gun ran real smooth, had barely any recoil and cycled anything I fed it.

The 16" barrel ran well with heavy components but when I switched to an 18" the gun would not run. I went to a standard rifle buffer, spring and Young light carrier and still had problems with the ammo loaded for the shorter barrel. All the ammo was loaded with AA2015, a very fast burning powder. I switched to Hodgdon's BenchMark powder a slower powder and the gun is back up and running.


With all the parts and gear I had, something simple like powder selection was one of the main problems. Don't overlook the powder if you're handloading.


Rob

[stik]

I have no experience with adjustable gas blocks but I run a sabre SS 16" middy w/VLTOR low pro clamp on gasblock, Magpul ACS stock w/H3 buffer, stock CAR spring and AR15 (stock sabre) carrier in my primary w/a Titan brake and JP FF tube. It shoots soft and stays on target on doubletaps. I like a non-adjustable gas block and full weight M16 carrier just for reliability. My other "gamer" rifles have low pro non-adjustable gas blocks, full weight carriers, one 18" with rifle gas and A1 stock/buffer/spring, low pro GB, YHM lightweight FF tube and another 18" with rifle gas, troy Extreme rail, CAR stock and CAR buffer/spring. All have comps, F2 or Titan, and I think I see more of a difference from the comp than I can the carrier weight/buffer weight/stock length, etc.

I have several other 16" middy's (SS and chrome moly) that are just fun guns with CAR or H buffers and standard CAR springs and have yet to have a failure to feed, function, etc. Only time I have an issue w/bolt not locking back on any of my rifles is when shooting off a bench with old 20 rd mags that need new springs.

I know alot of folks run adjustable gas and lightweight carriers, but I have also seen alot of those same folks guns choke during a stage. The way I look at it is with any machine, all the parts must be doing their job and if one gets out of whack, it can throw the whole machine off. Gas screw backs out or gun gets dirty/gummed up and your tuned machine is no longer tuned to run.

Full gas and full weight carrier and buffer, a good comp and spend the rest of your time and money on ammo and practice with that gun learning how it shoots/feels is more important, IMO but I am by no means a top level shooter (but ain't no slouch either), I just have fun with it and shoot when I can (and am glad deer season is over so I can scratch my trigger finger)

[TruePunisher]

I used this rifle for some time before I decided on an 18" model. Full blown JP-15 with the adjustable gas block and low mass operating system. Never had any issues with function. I even ran it in a carbine training course with 1000+ rounds without cleaning just to try and see if it would work, no problems. Oh yeah, I was shooting Wolf ammo. I know, OMG right?

[RWF]

i use 16" med con med lenght gas system 1 x 7 with JP low mass carrier, adjustable gas block. with a arredondo nXg comp. and standard buffer and spring. also it has the JP rifle lengh free float tube
i love it and she has not let me down. to me very, very light recoil. lighter than most of the 18" and 20" AR's that some of my friends have.
i do not reload so it always shoots factory ammo. hates wolf and is unhappy with fiocchi. but seems run anything else

[smokshwn]

Just built a middy over the winter. It is a 16" Lilja barrel 1:8 twist with a surefire MB 556 comp. The receiver set is of course Firebird and I am running an Ergo large grip, Giessele 3 gun trigger, ACE ARFX stock and a Carbon Arms 15" feather forend. The operating system consists of a Firebird adjustable gas block, Progressive Machine Ti BC, JP Rifles Enhanced Bolt, and rifle length spring and buffer with weights removed from the buffer to bring it down to 3 oz.

With a Burris XTR 1-4 and an offset Trijicon Dual Illumnation RMR it weighs at just under 8lbs. It balances just behind the front receiver pin.

It shoots must softer than I expected and in truth there is very little difference between it and my 20" rifle length gas setup. If points, transitions, and recovers extremely fast.

So far I am loving it.

[Graham Smith]

FWIW, I borrowed a LaRue 16" mid with a Wilson trigger, a PWS compensator, and an Aimpoint T1 sight last year for a 3 day tactical rifle course and it was a dream to shoot. If the guy had been willing to part with it, I would have bought it on the spot.

[saibot]

I have a Midlength RRA with YHM ff lightweight handguard, AAC brake on a 16in heavy barrel. I've considered switching out the gas block for an adjustable one since it is way over gassed, but I do love the reliability of it. It will eat anything I put in it and runs when just filthy, wet and mud covered. The only issue I ever had with it was when I put a Magpul BAD lever on it. Took it off and runs great again. The heavy barrel is a double edged sword, though. Nice for the recoil but gets heavy fast.

[esskay]

I have a JP upper which I customized a bit. 16" lightweight contour, mid-length gas with JP adj gas block and JP/Cooley brake. Standard JP BCG (which is lightened slightly but not the full LMOS system). Standard buffer and carbine spring.

The JP barrel is a laser. The whole setup is very handy and can drive it very quickly. It is very controllable but does jump a little more than my buddies' rifle-length guns. I do love that rifle!

However, I suspect my next 3-gun build will have rifle-length gas if I can find a lightweight barrel. Noveske has that new lightweight 18" barrel but it's "intermediate" gas so I'm not sure about that yet.

[Vlad]

Running a midlength 1/7 chromed BCM 16" barrel, with a rifle length recoil system in a ARFX stock, YHM light weight freefloat, non adjustable gas block, nordic tactical comp and now with a tiny red dot instead of scope. Loving it, handles fast, its light as anything and shoots softer then it has any right to, the silly thing is a MOA gun friking wolf ammo. Wouldn't think of trading to a 20".

Edited by Vlad, 03 February 2011 - 03:06 PM.

[J-Hon]

Good looking out guys, and especially a big thinks to the Noveske dudes who let me toss some questions their way. A class act they are.


Thinking the setup I'm gonna go with will basically be a dupe of the NST 16" setup.